Toy airplane



Au 29, 1944. M, g, JACOBS 2,357,005

TOY AIRPLANE Filed July so, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet -1 IN\-/EN"TOR. BY J1me; M. H. JAcoes HJa A-r-rgmu zv Aug.. 29, 1944. J. M. H. JACOBS TOY AIRPLANE Filed July 30, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 62, 1 ae-QZ- m m 5 Y Wm A.- M .w MTA m m H Aug. 29, 1 A J. M. HQJACOBS 2,357,005

TOY AIRPLANE Filed July 30, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 INVENTOR.

- 5o BY JA isMHJAcoe-s 3 gv fienwm. v HI: ATTOR EY v Patented Aug. 29, 1944 TOY AIRPLANE James M. H. Jacobs, Dayton, Ohio; Ruth Ann Jacobs, administratr Jacobs, deceased ix of said James M.

Application July 30, 1942, Serial No. 452,847

I V p 9 Claims.

This invention relates to toy airplanes and is particularly concerned with toy airplanes of the type which may be projected into flight by means of a catapult or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a flying toy wherein a pick-aback plane is simulated and wherein said plane is launched from a larger carrier plane at the apex of flight of said larger plane.

Another object of the invention is to provide two toy planes which may be projected into flight simultaneously wherein one plane carries the other plane during a portion onlyv of the flight.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of toy planes adapted to be projected simultaneously into flight wherein the planes separate at the apex of theirrfiight and descend in separate paths, one of said planes simulating a glider and another of said planes simulating an autogiro. A still further object of the invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive aerial toy wherein a plane of the folding wing type is adapted to be projected into the air by means of a catapult, said plane carrying a second plane and including a launching device for detaching said secondplane therefrom at the apex of flight whereby the two planes descend by different paths of flight.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a planview of the toy in assembled and folded position ready for flight,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the toy shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sideview of the toy at the apex of flight and at the instant that the glider plane is being launched from the carrier plane.

Fig. 4 isa view in perspective of the glider plane in flight.

Fig. 5 is a .view in perspective of the carrier plane after the glider has been launched and at the instant the carrier plane starts its downward flight.

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of thecarrier plane in downward flight. V

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of one type of sling or catapult that may be used as a projecting means for the toy.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of a mgdifled wing hinge construction to be used'in connection with the carrier planeand Fig. 9 is a front view of the assembled toy as shown in Fig. 1.

Aerial toys have heretofore been provided which spin or glide after being projected into the air. Toys of this type are shown in my prior U. S. Patents Numbers 2,236,877 and 2,268,487 respectively. Both of these patents disclosed aerial toys of the folded wing type wherein the wings open after the toy has been projected into the air and has reached the apex of its flight.

The present invention is directed to an aerial toy wherein two planes are simultaneously projected into the air simulating a carrier and a picka-back plane and then when the apex of flight is attained, the smallerplane is launched from its carrier and the two planes descend through different paths of flight. Thus this toy includes two separate planes which can be projected into the air together or if desired, the planes can be projected into the air separately as each plane is a complete flying toy in itself.

This description is directed to the simultaneous projection of the planes wherein the carrier plane includes launching mechanism for the pick-a-back plane for launching the said plane during flight of the carrier plane.

Referring to the drawings and particularly Fig. 1, a carrier plane 20 is shown which includes a single folding wing 22, (shown in folded position) and a tail wing 23, mounted on a fuselage 25. A second or pick-a-back plane 24 is shown carried by plane 20 The means of holding plane 24 on plane 20 will be described hereinafter. Plane 24 includes a main wing 26 anda tail wing 28 mounted on a fuselage portion 30. Planes 20 and 24 are preferably fabricated from balsa wood although heavy cardboard, pressed cellulose products, plywood etc., may be used.

The nose portion 3| of plane 2|] is weighted by any suitable means such as a metal stamping 32 attached to the fuselage 25. The stamping 32 carries a downwardly extending hook 34 which may be used as a launching means in connection with a catapult or sling 38 as shown in Fig. 7 wherein a wooden rod 39 is slotted at the end thereof to receive a rubber band 42.

In operation the planes20 and 24 are assembled as shown in Fig. 1 and the rubber band 42 of the catapult 38 is engaged by hook 34. The operator then grasps the tail portions of the fuselages 25 and 30 in one hand and holds the wooden rod 39 in the other and stretches the rubber band 42. When suflicient tension is obtained, the fuselages are released and the planes are catapultedinto the air. The planes remain together as shown in Fig. 1 with wing 22 in folded position until the apex of flight is attained at which instant plane 24 is launched whereupon it glides to earth and plane 20 due to its weighted nose portion is turned downwardly and starts to spin due to the angling of wing 22. As the plane spins, the wing 22 opens outwardly, due to centrifugal force to retard descent of the plane.

The wing 22 of plane 28 is attached to the fuselage 25 through the stamped hinge 46 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The hinge 46 comprises a body portion 48 which is clamped to the wing 22 and two integral ears 50 which are bent to form an obtuse angle with said body portion 48. The ears 58 are notched at 52 as shown in Fig. 9 to position a rubber band 54 which passes around the fuselage 25 and is positioned thereon by a pair of opposed notches B. The ears 50 are bent so that normally the wing 22 stands away from the fuselage 25 thereby causing the wing 22, which is angled as shown in Fig. l, to open when acted upon by centrifugal force. 7

A. modification of the hinge construction is shown in Fig. 8 wherein a folded piece of heavy resined paper 60 is cemented to the fuselage 25 and to the wing 22. This modification gives satisfactory results although it is not as strong as the metal structure nor does it permit removal of the wing for packaging.

The construction of the pick-a-back plane 24 is relatively simple and presents an ideal arrangement for packaging as the plane may be knocked down into three flat sections. The fuselage 30 is preferably made from balsa wood as previously noted. A slot 62 is punched in the fuselage 30 and is so dimensioned that the wing 26 is a snug plane 28 so that its nose is held in cup 86. Notch 12, in the fuselage 30, then straddles the rubber band 90 and notch 14 slips over the lug 92 to force the plane 24 forwardly into cup 86. As long as the planes are being projected upwardly, they are held together by the retarding force of lug 92 rubbing against notch 14 acting in cooperation with the air pressure caused by velocity of the planes. When the apex of flight is reached however, the air pressure is removed and rubber band 90 causes plane 24 to move upwardly from plane 20 against the rubbing action of lug 82.

fit vtherethrough. At the rear of the fuselage a pair of divergent slots 64 and 65 are provided for the rear wing 28 which may be positioned in either of the slots 64 or 66 as desired. The choice of slot will cause the flight of the plane to vary as the angle of the rear wing will be varied. A tail 68 may be provided and will aid in stabilizing the flight of the plane. The tail 68 may be made of paper or any other desired material hereinbefor mentioned and may be cemented to the fuselage.

A weighted hook 10 is attached to the nose 'H' of the plane to act as an attaching means for the catapult if the plane is to be projected without its carrier plane and this hook also acts as a weight to make the plane slightly nose heavy to facilitate gliding. Two notches and 14 are provided at the lower edge of the fuselage and these notches engage the launching device on the carrier plane. p 7

The launching device or apparatus 16 comprises a stamping having a body portion 18 with a hook 80 thereon whichpasses through the fuselage 25 of the carrier plane and holds one end of the device to said fuselage. The opposite end of the portion 18 includes opposed notches 82 at the edges thereof for aligning a rubber band 84 that passes around the fuselage and over the portion 18 to hold this end of the stamping in place. At the same end of the body portion 18, a turnedup cup 86 is provided which. acts as a receptacle for the nose ll of the pick-a-back plane. The opposite end of portion 18 includes a bifurcated support 88 that has rubber band 90 held in tension between the two arms thereof. An upturned lug 92 intermediate the arms of said support and spaced therefromis also provided. 7 7 n V The operation of the launching device may be Since the lug 92 is less in height than the bifurcated support 88 the lug 82 slips out of the notch 14 and the rubber band throws the plane 24 off the plane 28. The flight of the two planes after this action has occurred, is shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 wherein Fig. 4 shows plane 24 gliding away from plane 20 which is just beginning its downward flight in Fig. 5 and as shown further in Fig. 6 wherein the wing is open and the plane is spinning.

While the drawings show plane 20 with a Single wing 22, it is to be understood that this wing may be eliminated if desired. In this case the fuselage portion 25 of plane 28 will fall to earth spinning in a substantially horizontal plane rather than in a vertical plane as shown in Fig. 6. This spinning is occasioned by the tail member or wing 23. In this embodiment, the fuselage 25 with tail member 23 and launching device 16, simulate a rocket which acts as a carrier for the glider plane 24. Use of the toy either with or without the wing 22 may be easily accomplished since wing 22 is detachable in the first embodiment described as it is only held to the fuselage 25 through rubber band 54.

Also if desired wing 22 may be eliminated and a symmetrical tail wing may be provided by adding portion 23a shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. In this case, the carrier will dive to earth in a straight path as the symmetrical tail wing eliminates the gyratory motion heretofore noted.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided an interesting, inexpensive, yet rugged toy which may be used in many ways according to the desire of the operator.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all com-ing within the scope of the claims which follows.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An aerial apparatus, comprising in combination, a toy plane, adapted to be projected into flight, a holding device associated with said plane, a second toy plane adapted to be carried by said first mentioned plane and held thereto by means of the conjoint action of air pressure and said holding device during the upward portion only of its flight, and releasing means for releasing said second plane from said holding device, when the air pressure acting on the second plane due to velocity of upward flight approaches zero whereby said second plane is released from the first mentioned plane during another portion of its flight and each of said planes take separate paths of flight. s

2. An aerial toy comprising in combination, a toy plane adapted to be projected into the air, a folding wing associated therewith and adapted to open when said plane passes the apex of its explained as follows. The plane 24 is placed on to flight for causing the plane .to descend with a gyratory motion, a launching device associated with said plane, a second toy plane adapted in be held by said launching device to said first mentioned plane and to be released thereby when said first mentioned plane reaches the apex of its projected flight whereby said two planes descend by separate paths.

3. An aerial toy comprising in combination, a toy glider plane, a toy carrier plane adapted to carry said glider plane, said planes being adapted to be projected upwardly into the air as a unit, a launching device for associating said glider plane with said carrier plane and consisting of resilient means for throwing the glider plane off the carrier plane and means cooperating with air pressure for nullifying the action of said resilient means through the upward portion of the flight of the planes, said nullifying means being substantially ineffective after the planes have reached their apex of flight and when the air pressure acting on the glider plane due to velocity of upward flight approaches zero, whereupon the resilient means throws the glider plane into the air and the two planes come to earth in separate paths of flight.

4. An aerial toy comprising in combination; a toy glider plane and a toy carrier plane adapted to be catapulted into the air as a unit, launching means carried by said carrier for associating said glider and said carrier planes during the upward portion of their flight and for detaching said glider from said carrier plane at the termination of said upward flight, said launching means including a resilient member effective only at the termination of said upward flight for causing said detachment whereby said two planes descend in separate paths of flight.

5. An aerial toy comprising in combination; a glider plane and a carrier therefor, adapted to be catapulted into the air as a unit, a bifurcated member carried by the carrier, resilient means in tension across said bifurcated member, said glider including a notch in its fuselage portion adapted to straddle said means and to further tension said means when the glider is held in contact with the carrier, and a holding device spaced from said member and adapted to fit into a second notch in the fuselage of said glider and to drag against the edges of said notch whereby the friction of said holding device conjointly with the air pressure caused by the velocity of upward flight opposes said resilient means and maintains the tension thereon during upward flight of the unit, said resilient means overcoming the friction of said holding device when the velocity of the unit approaches Zero at the apex of the flight and throwing the glider off the carrier whereby said glider and said carrier descend in separate paths.

6. An aerial toy comprising in combination; a toy glider plane and a toy carrier therefor, adapted to be catapulted into the air as a unit, a holding device conjointly effective with air pressure during upward flight only of the unit for holding the glider and the carrier together and a launching device effective at the apex of flight only and when the air pressure on the glider is ineffective for detaching the glider from the carrier whereby the glider descends by one path of flight and the carrier descends by a different path.

7. In combination with a toy carrier adapted to be catapulted into the air and to carry a toy glider plane into the air as a unit and to launch said glider plane in a different path of flight at the apex of flight; of a launching device including launching means for launching said glider from said carrier at substantially the apex of flight, and restraining means cooperating with air pressure for opposing and' overcoming the action of said launching means during the upward flight of the unit only, said restraining means becoming ineffective to overcome the action of said launching device when the effect of air pressure due to velocity of flight on said glider plane approaches zero.

8. An aerial toy comprising in combination, a toy plane adapted to be projected into the air, a folding wing associated therewith and adapted to open when said plane passes the apex of its flight for causing the plane to descend with a gyratory motion, a launching device associated with said plane, a second toy plane adapted to be held by the conjoint action of launching device and air pressure to said first mentioned plane, said second plane including a forward wing and a rear wing which is adjustable to a plurality of positions for controlling the flight of the plane, said second mentioned plane being adapted to be released by said launching device when the first mentioned plane reaches the apex of its projected flight and the effect of the air pressure is substantially removed, whereby said two planes descend in separate paths.

9. An aerial toy comprising in combination, a carrier adapted to be projected into the air and consisting of a fuselage and a symmetrical tail wing whereby said carrier after reaching the apex of its projected flight descends in a straight dive, a launching device associated with said carrier and a plane adapted to be held by said launching device to said carrier and to be released, whereby when said carrier reaches the apex of its projected flight said plane descends in a path different from the path of the carrier.

JAMES M. H. JACOBS. 

